48. Rainer

48

RAINER

R ainer and Cecilia's honeymoon in the Moonrise City of Estrellas was spectacular. Jessamin's sister Karina had gone all out to make sure they got to see everything that Novum had to offer. It was everything and more than they'd hoped for after reading stories of the beautiful landscapes and late summer auroras that colored the night sky.

They'd laid out under the stars each night, tangled together as they watched the auroras and their sweaty skin cooled. Though Cecilia still had her moments of panic, she seemed more at home in her body and more at peace with touch.

They'd learned that, despite having been out on the water often as children, Cecilia did not fare well on long ship rides. Most of their journey both there and back had seen her heaving over the side of the ship, barely able to keep down more than bread and water for days.

Even now, back on dry land, Cecilia was dealing with some leftover motion sickness and unrelenting dizziness, cutting back her clinic hours and spending more time in bed.

Today, though, she was on her feet, looking slightly less pale as she slipped into the blue dress Rainer loved so much. He met her gaze in the mirror as he buttoned up the back.

"You look lovely," he whispered.

"Thank you. You look quite handsome yourself with this new haircut. Is Sylvie going to have to come back every few months to do it or will you trust me to do it at some point?"

He laughed. "Aunt Clara took notes so she can do it. You have many talents, but I'm never letting you near my hair again."

"I only ruined it one time and I was sixteen," she grumbled.

Rainer shook his head. It was vain of him, but he loved his hair and he'd never forgotten what a mess Cecilia had made of it when she took over cutting it right after his mother died. Sylvie had come to the rescue then, shaping it into something decent, but he'd not make the same mistake again.

"Let's stick with the talents you've already cultivated and leave my hair to someone else." He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. "Now, how are you feeling?"

Her gaze flashed to his and he could read her apprehension.

"Not as bad, but I'll still take it easy at dinner," she said.

Rainer nodded, holding out his arm. They walked down the trail, enjoying the early autumn day. The heat had relented, bringing a cool ocean breeze over town and making it the perfect day for Evan and Sylvie's wedding dinner.

Though Rainer had missed the couple's official ceremony back in Argaria, Cecilia had shown him the memory of the night. Now, months later, Evan and Sylvie were in town to have an official wedding dinner at the insistence of the Brett family.

Rainer and Cecilia greeted their newlywed friends along with Sylvie's family. The garden was decked out in ribbons and floral arrangements and the tablescape was woven with vines and wildflowers.

"What a show-off. I mean, we get it, Syl, you're very talented with earth magic," Cecilia teased.

"Your jealousy is unbecoming," Sylvie teased, touching her friend's cheek. "I'm joking, though you do look quite pale. Are you well?"

Cecilia nodded. "Just some leftover ailment from our travels, but I promise I am well enough for a celebration."

Sylvie smirked. "Do you remember the first thing I ever said to you?"

Cecilia's hands flew up to her hair. She self-consciously patted her curls. "You said: Why does your hair look like that?"

Sylvie stifled a laugh and turned to Rainer. "You should have seen her. It was her first day of school. Aunt Clara was away and her father tried to braid her hair. It was a disaster."

Rainer couldn't imagine Leo Reznik braiding Cecilia's hair.

Cecilia rolled her eyes. "Six-year-old Sylvie was merciless. Never mind that my mother had just passed. She expected me to look impeccable."

"I mean do you remember the first thing of substance I said to you?" Sylvie asked. "We'd just learned about how different our schooling would be from the boys."

Cecilia's lips twitched into a grin. "Why should the boys have all the fun? I'm not letting some man decide my future." Cecilia's gaze slid to Evan. "Seems like young Sylvie was a visionary."

Sylvie squeezed Cecilia's hand. "I could not have done it without you." Her smile turned watery. "Thank you for helping me make a world where I have better choices."

Cecilia flushed with pride. "That was all you, Syl. Now let's go celebrate the future you chose for yourself."

The meal was joyful and involved another round of toasts, including one that had been written by Xander, who was expecting the arrival of his first child any day. He'd sent his toast with Evan to be read out loud in his absence.

After dinner, Rainer took Cecilia by the arm and walked her around the garden. As they made their way to a row of tall sunflowers, she gripped his arm hard, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Are you well?" he asked.

She sighed. "Just some dizziness."

Rainer frowned. "I'd thought that the spinning would stop now that we're back on dry land, but it's been a couple weeks."

Cecilia froze. "What did you say?"

"I said it's strange how the spinning hasn't stopped, even now that you're on dry land."

Cecilia's eyes lit up. "We have to go."

Rainer's body tensed, ready to fight off an invisible foe. "Where?"

"Raven Whitewind's."

The woman's name turned Rainer's blood to ice. The last time he'd seen the ancient witch, she'd been severing their bond. The memory of Cecilia's pain and the absence of their bond still haunted Rainer.

"The seer? Why?—"

Rainer wanted to argue but he knew the determined look on Cecilia's face, so he took her hand and she practically dragged him down the trail. They walked by their cottage, continuing down the path as the foliage grew denser and the darkness of the early evening closed in.

Finally, when Rainer began to worry that they'd somehow missed it, a small, familiar cottage came into view. Just like he had eighteen years earlier when he first saw the cottage, Rainer took a bracing breath and pushed through the gate.